Jersey Shore Magazine

J e r s e y s h o r e • S p r i n g 2 0 1 8 52 generous sponsors and patrons, the diving community, and the general public adding to its diverse collection. The museum's collection includes 5,000 shipwreck files, with more than 4,800 folders describing the misfortunes of vessels with as much detail as could be gathered. From each folder, key pieces of information have been transcribed onto a data sheet, a collection of facts about each incident boiled down to key words and phrases to make the informa- tion searchable. This research data base focuses on maritime events that occurred in the waters along the New Jersey coast, primarily the Atlantic Ocean, Delaware Bay, and Delaware River. It was collected from a vast number of sources including newspaper archives, ship's logs, dia- ries, United States Life-Saving Service JERSEY SHORE PROFILE The New Jersey Maritime Museum Bringing New Life to The Jersey Shore's Nautical Heritage continued on page 54 I f you are fascinated by the many facets of the Jersey Shore—or think it's limited to world-class beaches and boardwalks— there's a place you might want to visit. The New Jersey Maritime Museum in Beach Haven is a two-story treasure chest of maritime artifacts, displays, accumulated nautical history and research, and diverse programs. (There are actually three floors, but more about that later.) Located on the corner of 528 Dock Road and West Avenue, and very close to Little Egg Harbor Bay, it's not the kind of place you are likely to stumble upon meandering the southern end of Long Beach Island. by Gordon Hesse courtesy of the New Jersey Maritime Museum After three years of construction, the museum opened its doors on July 3, 2007. It was the culmination of a lifelong dream of Deborah Whitcraft, a passenger vessel owner, former diver and dive shop owner/instructor (she was inducted into the Women Divers Hall of Fame in 2011), and columnist for local publications like The Sandpaper, Beachcomber, and NJ Boating Magazine. She's also an entre- preneur, philanthropist, Beach Haven mayor (1996-2006), and wedding officiant. The museum was her way to pay homage to New Jersey's rich maritime history. She created it, with lots of help, as a memorial where the public can view firsthand—and free of charge—important parts of New Jersey's heritage. In the years since it opened, the museum has grown at an amazing rate, with donations and loans from

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